OpenStar Technologies is advancing in the race for nuclear fusion energy with its latest development, the “Junior” superconducting magnet . This half-ton device, designed for a levitated dipole reactor (LDR), leverages technologies in high-temperature superconductors (HTS) and promises to optimize plasma confinement, a critical component in its fusion reactor .
Design inspired by nature
Unlike traditional fusion reactors, where plasma is confined in a fixed structure, Junior allows for an unobstructed configuration, similar to Earth’s magnetosphere. This doughnut-shaped technology creates a dynamic magnetic field that extends outward, achieving effective plasma containment in a high-energy environment. This development represents a technical breakthrough and could be key in the commercialization of fusion energy .
Junior allows for an obstruction-free setup. Source: OpenStar Technologies
Another striking aspect of Junior is that it uses HTS superconductors, which offer greater tolerance to higher temperatures than traditional low-temperature superconductors. This advance allows operation at liquid nitrogen levels, optimizing both energy efficiency and plasma confinement and reducing the costs and complexity of cooling systems compared to traditional fusion devices.
One of the challenges of this magnet has been to maintain its independent functionality. The device levitates without external connection , employing a mechanical support and an auxiliary magnet. This structure contains 14 coils of ReBCO superconductor, each designed and tested in a controlled cryogenic environment. In addition, a differential evolution algorithm optimized the arrangement of the subsystems to maintain the magnetic field without interference, ensuring that Junior operates efficiently at more than 100 million degrees Celsius , the temperature required for plasma to reach fusion conditions.
Advances in the New Zealand fusion reactor
OpenStar will present details of Junior’s development and the results of its experiments in Salt Lake City, where it will share these achievements with leading superconductor experts. The company plans to continue optimizing this technology for commercial applications, demonstrating that dipolar fusion reactors like Junior could be the key to achieving a sustainable and clean energy source.
Although OpenStar Technologies was founded in 2021 in New Zealand, its vision in fusion energy is based on decades of research conducted by pioneering institutions such as MIT, Columbia University, and the University of Tokyo. These centers have extensively explored dipole magnet technology and superconducting systems, laying the groundwork for significant evolution in fusion devices.
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Source and photos: OpenStar Technologies
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